


Simple Man

by GalranKeith



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, There's lots of fluff, i don't know how to tag, it's always shoulder-chan's fault, rin's an ugly crier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 03:45:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6103771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalranKeith/pseuds/GalranKeith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sousuke's a simple man. But everything he goes through isn't so simple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Simple Man

**Author's Note:**

> Just something I ended up writing at, like, 2-3 in the morning one day and then finally decided to post. This is unbeta'd, so there will be mistakes, I'm sorry. But if you find any you can just go ahead and point them out, I'll probably try and fix them sometime. Also, constructive crit. is great, so if you have any advice on how to better my writing, hit me with it. So anyway, I hope you enjoy a crappy story about my otp. Sorry again.

Sousuke could say he was a simple man. A simple man with simple needs. But didn’t simple men lead simple lives? Well, if that was the case, it wasn’t for Sousuke. Simplicity was white, smooth, and straight-forward. Sousuke’s life was red, jagged and full of… well, complexities. It was tiresome, but this simple man wouldn’t give it up for the world. Everything about his life was perfect, even the imperfections.  


A smile graced Sousuke’s face as he watched the thing, person really, that made his life as far from simple as possible.

Red, jagged, and complex.

All these things made this special person. Made Sousuke love this person. How could Sousuke have gone so long without them? How could he have let them go? Why would he let them go?

With a sigh, Sousuke walked to the edge of the Samezuka pool, a towel in hand.

Red.

So much brilliant red it made Sousuke’s heart do impossible things when he saw it. His, Sousuke’s, special person lifted themselves from the pool.

Jagged.

A toothy grin stretched that persons beautiful lips as they took the offered towel to dry their hair.

Complex.

“What are you doing up so late?” The person asked, grin still in place, but eyes taking Sousuke in, settling on his shoulder, worried.

“I could ask you the same thing.” Sousuke teased, earning a light nudge in the ribs by that special person.

Rin.

He was everything Sousuke could ever dream of and then some. Beautiful, strong, and just absolutely wonderful. Everything with Rin was a new experience, even if it was an old and worn one, Rin could make it new. Life with Rin was as brilliant and radiant as the sun.

“Okay, okay. Let me change out of my leg skins and we’ll go back to the dorm together.” Rin said.

Sousuke gave a hum of affirmation as they made their way to the locker room, Sousuke waiting outside. Once Rin dressed again into the sweats and tank top he had come in. He and Sousuke made their way back to the dorm.

“Why where you in the pool so late?” Sousuke asked. They had stopped by the vending machine to get a couple of drinks and were now just sitting on the bench as they drank them.

“Couldn’t sleep.” Rin took a sip of his drink before continuing. “I’m not ready for school to be over with… WE go to school for a good majority of our lives and then it all ends and you choose what you want to do with your life, whether that be more schooling or to take part in your career already…”

Sousuke looked at Rin from over his can. Complex… What was Rin going on about? He sat the can next to him. “Yeah, but you have your whole future planned, so what are you saying? It’s not like you have to worry about what you’re going to do. Hell, you’ve even helped others with their future.”

“I know, but… It’s not me that I’m worried about…”

Ah. Rin was worried about him. Sousuke guessed he understood, he didn’t really talk a lot about what he was going to do with his future. Before his shoulder messed up, he had his whole future right in front of him, in his hands, then it crumbled and slipped through his fingers, leaving him empty handed with no idea of what kind of future he would have anymore. Sousuke pursed his lips as he starred down at his hands. He wanted to tell Rin not to worry, that he had it all under control, but he didn’t. Everything was slipping away and soon the only thing he had left, Rin, would slip way as well. Rin had his whole life planned our right before him and as much as Sousuke wished it could, Rin’s future didn’t include him. Sousuke used to be extraordinary, in hopes to one day reunite with Rin and be included in his special ones future. But now Sousuke was reduced to being the simple man he dreaded to be. He wanted so much to be with Rin.

“Sou, what do you have planned for the future?” Rin whispered.

Sousuke gave a small smile, he didn’t really want to talk about it, but he knew Rin would pester him and worry about it. “Well, I haven’t thought much of it. Maybe take a few basic college courses, I guess, get that out of the way and maybe figure it from there.” Sousuke shrugged. He refused to meet Rin’s brilliant red eyes for fear of him seeking just how unsure Sousuke really was about wat he’d do. 

Rin sighed softly, Sousuke could hear the crunch of the can in Rin’s hands giving under the pressure his fingers were applying. “I’m saying all this because I’m worried for you… I know it bothers you,” Rin nodded to Sousuke’s shoulder, “not just physically, but mentally as well. I know it’s got you worried about your future, about whether or not you have one anymore. I know this, cause it bothers me, too.”

Sousuke stood and tossed his empty can into the bin nest to the vending machine. “Look, Rin, I know you’re worried for me and all, but can we not be those people that have heart-wrenching conversations at two in the morning?” He looked over his shoulder at Rin, an eyebrow raised. 

Furrowing his eyebrow, Rin barred those jagged, shark-like teeth. He was angry. “Sousuke, we have one week. One week until graduation and it’s all over. This was the easy part. In one week the hard part will be coming up. While everyone’s got themselves together you’ll be left floundering about, left behind. Do you want that?”

“Of course not, but I can’t help tha-“

“Yes you can!” Rin interrupted, his voice rasping a tad.

Sousuke sighed. They were going to be those people. But instead of over text it was going to be face to face in front of a vending machine outside of the school dorms. “Rin, please, calm down.” Sousuke was going to try and stay civilized, even if it was a bit hard with the red-head yelling and glaring at him. Everything in him wanted to snap back, defend himself and dismiss this whole conversation in favor of going to their dorm and going to sleep, maybe with some coaxing he could get Rin to let him sleep in the bottom bunk with him and they could spoon before falling into a nice dreamless sleep. Yeah, that sounded really good.

“Sousuke! This isn’t fair! You can’t just throw away any possibility of a future just because of a stupid injury!”

Sousuke’s eyebrow twitched and he scowled, but still, he was going to keep his calm. Riling Rin up further would be a bad idea and just ensure that they slept separately. Sousuke usually slept worse when he didn’t have the smaller man in his arms. He had gotten used to their cramped, but nice sleeping arrangements.

“Are you listening to me, Sousuke!? Don’t zone out on me this is important!”

Everything was made so complex and difficult with Rin involved…

“Sousuke!?”

Snap.

“Shut up, Rin! No, I don’t have my whole future laid out in front of me, shining and bright, but you know, I did. My future was right there, right within my reach.” Sousuke made a reaching motion, only to sway at nothing. “And it was gone! Just like that… Everything disappeared when my shoulder decided to fuck up everything. You know what my future was though? What kept me going even after the big picture went away and left me with a tiny screen?”

Sousuke watched Rin’s face distort into what he dubbed as his “pre-cry face”. It was a warning of oncoming tears, but not quite there yet, but he could see them forming. How did the day go from pretty nice, to this shit storm? Sousuke had no idea but he could feel a headache coming on.

“My future was you, Rin. It’s always been you. It was you when I was still able to keep up a swimming career and it’s still you even with my career path unknown. I’m just afraid I’m not part of your future.” Sousuke had to speak the truth. He was sure Rin knew about these feelings some way or another, but speaking them out loud, for both of them to hear made them more tangible, harder to ignore or push aside for another time.

Now Rin was full on crying, shoulders shaking, and wet sniffs all accounted for. Sousuke hated making Rin cry, not just because, one, he was a pretty ugly crier to be honest, but because he hated being the reason Rin was crying. He hated for Rin to cry in any negative way, but it hit Sousuke hardest when Rin cried because of him.

“S-Sou, I want you to be a part of my future, I want to be a part of your future… But how can we be a part of each other’s futures when you won’t be with me? I want to be able to swim with you just as much as I know you wanna keep swimming with me…” Rin walked over to Sousuke and wrapped his arms around him, crying harder.

Sousuke huffed, unable to keep a smile off his face as he wrapped Rin in his returning embrace. Sousuke was a simple man and perhaps this was a simple need, but it was so complicated to obtain.

“I love you so much Rin, you know that?”

“Sh-Shuddup! You’re such a jerk, do you know that?” Rin shot back.

Sousuke chuckled as he gripped the red-head’s chin between his fingers gently and lifted his face to look into those gorgeous red eyes. “Rin, I will do whatever I can within my power to make sure we stay in each other’s lives and find a future both of us can be in together. I love you far too much to just let you go.” Sousuke’s face was serious as he said that. He had to make sure Rin understood and accepted this declaration.

Rin gave a particularly wet sniff before nodding. Sousuke relaxed visibly, smiling down at his special one. “Okay, so now that our two am deep conversation is over, let’s go to the room and climb into bed.”

When Rin nodded and tossed his can in the trash, they made their way into the dorm and to their room. Sousuke lounged on the bottom bunk as Rin got a shower, his usual post-cry routine. He was just about to nod off when he felt a body climb on top of him, sitting on his stomach. Sousuke opened his eyes to see Rin hunched over him. His hair was still dripping, the droplets falling onto Sousuke’s face

“I know.” When Sousuke gave Rin a confused look, the red-head clarified. “I know that you love me. And despite how much of a jerkish asshole you are… I love you too and nothing would make me happier than to have my best friend right there with me all the way.”

Sousuke’s face softened, he smiled up at his special person.

“Well, I mean, getting a gold medal in the Olympics would make me pretty happy…” Rin suddenly continued, making Sousuke scowl. “But! Being with you and getting to love you more and more beats infinity Olympic gold medals.”

Sousuke couldn’t help but chuckle at that. Rin was a pretty jerkish asshole himself, but he was his jerkish asshole, as odd as that sounded. Sousuke lifted his left arm, cupping the back of Rin’s neck. “Come down here, asshole, I want to kiss you.” He said.

Rin obliged, allowing Sousuke to guide him to his lips and into a soft kiss. They kissed slowly and softly, each movement a gentle caress. These kisses were Sousuke’s favorite, he could hear the sounds and feel Rin’s soft, plush lips against his own ant he loved it.

When they pulled apart, Rin’s eyes stayed closed. Sousuke just stared up at him. How could one person be so perfect? For that, Sousuke had no answer. He lifted his hands to hold Rin’s face, his thumbs gently rubbing the red-heads flushed cheeks. Those brilliant colored eyes opened to return Sousuke’s stare.  
“I want to make love to you.” Rin whispered.

Sousuke chuckled softly, shaking his head. “As much as I’d love to, I don’t want our first time to be in a school dorm on a bed that barely fits the both of us.”  
He watched as Rin pouted, looking away. Sousuke really did want to have sex with Rin, the two of them ha been together for months now and he did want to make their relationship more physical, but right now wasn’t the time. He wanted the moment to be perfect. It’s not that right now was a bad time, hell, it would be a great time to have sex. The mood was nice, it was the perfect time of day, or night really, but it didn’t feel good enough to Sousuke. The outburst the two of them had earlier would be a part of the memory and Sousuke didn’t want that.

“Maybe once we have our own place or maybe don’t have dorm mates surrounding us?” Sousuke tilted his head and eyebrow raised and a little smile twitching his lips. Rin rolled his eyes, snorting. “Mine as well just settle down in our own house and get married.”

“That’s an option”

A playful smack to Sousuke’s arm earned Rin a laugh. “Don’t be an ass.”

Sousuke calmed himself and fixed Rin with a serious look. “I’m being serious. At least about the marrying part. I’d marry you in a heartbeat Rin Matsuoka.” 

The man above Sousuke remained quiet. Sousuke could tell he was shocked.

“Don’t joke around like that…”

Sousuke sighed and pulled Rin down os the smaller man was lying on top of him, Rin’s head on his chest. “I would never joke about something like that.”

Rin kept silent, just staring off. Sousuke could practically hear the gears turning in the man’s head.

“Sou…?”

“Yeah, Rin?”

“You love me, right?”

“Of course I do. Why do you ask?” Sousuke wasn’t sure where Rin was going with this.

“I’m asking because I’ve decided I want you to be there with me all the way, whether it’s right there next to me or supporting me in the crowd. I want you there.” Rin sniffed, gripping at Sousuke’s shirt. “Because I love you.”

Sousuke let his fingers run through Rin’s soft, red hair, comforting his special person. He wanted to be with Rin all the way as well. “Then I will. If my future is to be by your side as a supporter, I’m fine with that.” 

Rin shook his head. “I don’t want you to just support me, I’m going to support you as well. I’m going to support whatever you decide you want to do with the rest of your life. It’s gonna go both ways.” He placed his palm over Sousuke’s shoulder.

Why was Rin such a wonderful person? How was Sousuke lucky enough to have such a wonderful man as his special person? Sousuke loved Rin so much it ached. He wished he could live out Rin’s dream right there next to him. He was so jealous of Nanase, really. Nanase hot to be right there with Rin while Sousuke just watched the two of them swim off into the metaphorical sunset together towards their dreams, leaving Sousuke to follow after them off to the side.

Oh well, Sousuke just wanted Rin to be happy, that was the most important thing to him. Really, being Rin’s rock through his live was pretty good sounding to Sousuke.

“Let’s go to sleep Rin. It’s late, or early, rather.” Sousuke turned them onto their sides, spooning Rin, the wall at his back. Sousuke buried his nose into Rin’s hair, smiling softly.

He mentally rolled his eyes. It was true… At 2am people really did become more emotional.


End file.
